28 July 2008
As Work Begins, Rail Yard Neighbours Claim Some Victories
Ayr Ontario - Work is underway on a contentious rail yard
between Ayr and Woodstock, but opponents haven't given up trying to make it safer.
Federal approval for the CP Rail project was announced last week by Cambridge MP Gary Goodyear. He said the original plan has been
modified to make it safer, even if it doesn't satisfy every concern raised over the last year by residents.
"We got more than half of what we were looking for... I didn't think we'd get this far," he said.
Goodyear never called for scrapping the yard because it's integral to the new Toyota factory that's nearing completion outside
Woodstock.
He did call it a "bargain basement" plan from the start, one that needed to be improved to meet resident concerns about
noise, traffic congestion, and environmental protection.
Goodyear had to convince Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon to order an environmental review and place conditions on the project.
The federal Railway Act didn't require an environmental assessment because the project was just short of the required
three-kilometre length.
Nothing in the approval deals with concerns residents repeatedly raised about trains blocking traffic in Ayr, or nearby residents
facing the reality of trains idling around the clock.
"It seems like the door got slammed in our face," said Coun. Sue Foxton, who represents Ayr on North Dumfries township
council.
Margaret Hicks lives about a kilometre away from the yard in Blandford-Blenheim Township and watched CP crews start the
work last week.
Hicks is co-chair of the Wolverton Siding Association fighting the yard. She's happy about conditions imposed to protect
the Nith River and local wells.
"I'm glad we took a stand, because there will be more protection of the groundwater and the river, apart from the fact I'd say we
lost when it came to noise."
Hicks said nobody has tested her wells yet, so she'll be after CP to meet that condition.
Here's what CP has to do for its part of the new rail yard, which is expected to be complete by year's end:
Install an advance flashing light and sign to warn traffic at a Trussler Road railway crossing.
Install drop-down rail crossing gates at Trussler and Blenheim roads.
Build an access road for emergency vehicles to get to the yard from Blenheim Road.
Test area wells before and after construction for water levels and contamination.
Goodyear said CP promised the volume of hazardous material shipped through the area won't increase, neither will hazardous material be
stored in the new yard.
Foxton said township council will hold CP to the conditions, even as it pushes for future solutions to trains blocking traffic in Ayr.
"I'm really glad it's in writing," Foxton said. "If it's in writing, we've got a leg to stand on."
A railway spokesperson wasn't available for comment Friday afternoon.
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